Water Safety 101: Lake and Pool Safety Tips for Families

With summer approaching, families of small kids and teenagers should keep safe swim practices in mind. These lake and pool safety tips can help.

Summer across Michigan — particularly southeast Michigan — often means families partake in water-related recreational activities on the Great Lakes, inland lakes, rivers and in local pools.

But fun on the water can also mean the risk of injury — especially when it comes to children and teens. Keep reading for basic tips on how to keep your kids safe this summer.

Statistics

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “about one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger.” From 2010 to 2019, there was an average of 3,957 unintentional drowning deaths in the United States each year, with about 613 additional deaths involving boating incidents, it adds.

Scarier yet, the highest drowning rates are among children 1 to 4 years old. Drowning is the leading cause of death in children in that age range — aside from birth defects, the CDC notes.

In kids and teens 1 to 14 years old, “drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death behind motor vehicle crashes,” and the risk is significantly higher for minorities of all ages.

Tips for water safety

In order to keep children safe from water-related accidents, “parents definitely need to be involved,” says Brandon Munoz, the former American Red Cross territory aquatics specialist for Michigan’s eastern region.

Munoz says for all water activity, “we always support that you should never be alone,” and “never leave (children) unattended.”

“Parents especially,” he notes, “should be at least an arm’s length away” from their children at all times around water — whether in the backyard pool or in a lake.

Children should also be fitted for a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. If the jackets are not the correct size, “they can become more of a risk than a benefit,” Munoz warns.

If someone does fall off the boat or slips underwater while swimming, there are a few important steps to take. “If you have something you can reach out or throw to that person” like an oar or a floatation device, Munoz says, try using that. Don’t put yourself at risk by entering the water, he notes. And if you do happen to be alone? “Call for help,” he says.

If a child is missing, the Red Cross stresses to check the water first. “Seconds count in preventing death or disability,” it notes.

For teens who might be swimming with friends or on trips without their parents, Munoz advises to “think before you act,” and make sure the situation you’re in “is a safe one.” If you can’t see the bottom when you’re at a lake, river or pool, “it’s probably not safe,” Munoz adds.

Additional tips

The American Red Cross offers additional materials online that parents should check out on water safety, too. Here’s what it advises on its website:

  • Swim only in the designated area(s) that are supervised by lifeguards.
  • Always swim with a buddy.
  • Know how to call 911.
  • Have equipment ready for reaching or throwing.
  • Have a cellphone and first-aid kit available.
  • Know CPR and first aid. If you don’t, enroll in a CPR class.

The CDC also suggests:

  • Know that toys filled with air do not work as safety devices.
  • Keep your pool area clear of water and deck toys.
  • Put proper barriers around your pool, like a fence at least 4 feet tall that self-closes and latches.
  • If you’re at the beach, obey the colored flags.
  • Consider enrolling your child in swimming lessons. Formal training can reduce the risk for kids ages 1-4.

This post was originally published in 2013 and is updated regularly. 


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